Work

Existential Containers in Scala

Year: 2024

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: Type classes have been well-established as a powerful tool to write generic algorithms and data structures while escaping vexing limitations of subtyping with respect to extensibility, binary methods, and partial abstractions. Unfortunately, type classes are typically inadequate to express run-time polymorphism and dynamic dispatch, two features considered central to object-oriented systems. This paper explains how to alleviate this problem in Scala. We present existential containers, a form of existential types bounded by type classes rather than types, and explain how to implement them using Scala’s existing features.

DOI: 10.1145/3679007.3685056

Authors: Dimitri Racordon, Eugene Flesselle, Matthieu Bovel

Institution: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Language: English

Topic: Logic, programming, and type systems

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W4402526571

FWCI: 0.294

Cites: 14

Cited by: 1

Related to: 10